Zhuge, Sakura, and Kushida walked out of the repair shop.
With some time left in their lunch break, they found an outdoor bubble tea shop and sat around a table.
"It's so hot."
"I'm so thirsty."
Kushida spoke up. "What do you want to drink? My treat this time!"
Zhuge Linghao was overjoyed. He quickly scanned the menu and zeroed in on the two most expensive drinks!
[Hehe, I'll make sure you pay for this, Kikyo!]
Zhuge Linghao handed one of the drinks to Sakura Airi.
Sakura carefully bowed her head at a 90-degree angle in gratitude.
Kushida Kikyo spoke gently to Sakura Airi. "If you can, could you talk to us normally? We're classmates, after all!"
Zhuge Linghao waited quietly for Sakura Airi's reply.
Sakura Airi still didn't dare look anyone in the eye. She lowered her head and stared at her bubble tea. "I... I understand. I'll try my best."
Kushida Kikyo smiled. "But don't push yourself too hard!"
Then Kushida Kikyo went to the restroom.
Watching Kushida Kikyo's graceful figure disappear, Zhuge Linghao wondered if she was planning to vandalize something again.
Under the sunshade, only Zhuge Linghao and Sakura Airi remained. Neither dared meet the other's gaze, and the atmosphere quickly grew awkward.
It ended up playing out like this.
Sakura Airi glanced at Zhuge Linghao, and he looked away.
Zhuge Linghao glanced at Sakura Airi, and she looked away.
After repeating this several times, Zhuge Linghao curled his toes and asked, "Sakura, is there something you want to say?"
"Um... Zhuge, thank you for earlier!"
"Oh, right! Don't get the wrong idea! I only told that shop assistant I was your boyfriend and stuff to make them leave you alone..."
"I... I know."
The worst thing was when the air suddenly went quiet. Neither of them spoke again.
After a little while, Zhuge Linghao heard Sakura's voice, as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"Zhu... Zhuge, what do you think I should do?"
"Huh? Do about what?"
"Y-your... your violent incident..."
"Oh! That. I don't think you should ask me. I was one of the people involved, after all..."
"But..."
"Just do what feels right to you, whether you end up regretting it or feeling sorry about it."
"Isn't youth perfect precisely because it's full of imperfections?"
Sakura stared blankly at the black-haired boy in front of her. "Zhuge..."
A little later, Sakura's cheeks flushed. "Um... if you don't mind, could we... exchange contact information?"
Now you're talking! "Zhuge" Linghao's face lit up.
Kushida returned holding a cute pink parasol. "I'm back. It's getting late, so let's split up."
Then she leaned close to Zhuge Linghao's ear and whispered, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"I was just about to tell you something too, Kushida."
"What is it?"
Zhuge Linghao took out his phone. "Take a look at these photos..."
Kushida Kikyo covered her mouth in shock. "Oh! They're pictures of Sakura. So you're a pervert after all!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Can you please focus on the actual issue?"
Kushida Kikyo pressed a finger to her lips. "Did you notice, Zhuge? Sakura wears glasses just for show."
Zhuge Linghao ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, they're plain lenses with no prescription. It's pretty strange."
Clever Kushida Kikyo offered her theory. "Could she be hiding her true appearance? Is that why she won't stand up and testify?"
Before Zhuge Linghao could answer, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
"Ding!"
Zhuge Linghao had only just gotten Sakura Airi's contact information, and now he'd already received a message from her.
After reading the message, Zhuge Linghao smiled. This was in the bag.
Judgment Day, a conference room.
As soon as Zhuge Linghao entered, his gaze was drawn to the tall figure standing at the center of the room. The student council president, Horikita Manabu, really had shown up!
At the same time, Zhuge Linghao shifted his gaze to Horikita Suzune. The corners of his mouth crept higher and higher!
Just look at Horikita Suzune's expression. This was hilarious!
Zhuge Linghao secretly started recording!
In his mind, he could practically see a tigress gradually turning into a kitten.
The meeting was halfway through when they took a break and everyone was free to move around.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at Zhuge Linghao. "What's wrong? Are you so nervous you can't speak?"
Zhuge Linghao's lips moved. "..."
Ayanokoji's face turned to a question mark. He continued, "I didn't catch that. Can you speak up?"
Zhuge Linghao's eyes reddened, his lips moving. "..."
Ayanokoji's expression went blank again. "I still don't understand what you mean."
Zhuge Linghao's eyes reddened. He gasped like an ox, his lips moving. "..."
About two hours later, the hearing finally came to an end.
Horikita Manabu delivered the final verdict. The disciplinary results were as follows:
[Class 1-C: Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yego, and Kondo Suzune expelled! Class 1-D: Ken Sudō and Zhuge Linghao expelled!]
A few days before Judgment Day, during lunch break.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune were on their way back to the dorms when Ayanokoji took out his phone and checked a message.
Then Ayanokoji stopped walking. "Looks like we have to change our destination. Zhuge and the others found Sakura at the electronics store."
Horikita Suzune turned briskly. "Come on. Let's go to the Special Building."
The Special Building, at a third-floor stairwell landing.
Ayanokoji unbuttoned his jacket. "It's getting hotter and hotter. Summer vacation must be coming soon."
Horikita scanned the nearby objects and surroundings. "The heat really does affect your judgment."
Ayanokoji undid the top few buttons of his shirt. "This place would make an ideal spot to frame someone. So, have you come up with a good plan?"
Horikita fell silent for a moment before answering. "I'm thinking. It would be good if we could find some decisive evidence."
Ayanokoji looked around the empty area. "Come to think of it, there's really nothing here. Not even a security camera."
Horikita replied coolly, "If there were cameras, we'd have conclusive evidence."
Ayanokoji's expression remained blank. "Yeah."
Horikita moved closer to Ayanokoji. "Come to think of it, if we'd had something like that from the start, we wouldn't have had to run around and exhaust ourselves."
Suddenly, Horikita Suzune's body trembled. She'd thought of a workable plan.
She spoke coldly. "There's something I'd like to try seriously. I need you to cooperate."
When Zhuge Linghao received Sakura Airi's message, Kushida Kikyo also received a message from Ayanokoji.
Kushida Kikyo looked puzzled as she spoke to Zhuge Linghao. "Ayanokoji wants me to call those three troublemakers from Class 1-C to the Special Building after school today?"
Kushida Kikyo looked worried. "They aren't going to fight again, are they?"
[Why ask me? How would I know!]
Zhuge Linghao didn't answer Kushida Kikyo's question.
Instead, he held out his phone for her to see. "That guy Ayanokoji also wants me to go buy some fake cameras for him right now? What's he getting at?"
Zhuge Linghao and Kushida Kikyo looked at each other, completely unable to figure out what kind of trouble Ayanokoji and Horikita were planning.
Before you continue